For as long as I can remember, school felt harder for me than it seemed to be for everyone else. Reading took longer. Writing felt exhausting. Paying attention in class felt almost impossible. My mind would drift without warning and before I knew it, I was being called out for zoning out or distracting others. I didn’t understand why I couldn’t just focus, why my brain wouldn’t cooperate the way everyone else seemed to.
“My friends didn’t struggle the same way I did and no matter how hard I tried to keep up, I always felt one step behind.”
As the years went on, the gap between me and my peers became more noticeable. My friends didn’t struggle the same way I did and no matter how hard I tried to keep up, I always felt one step behind. Teachers, friends and my family started to notice too. I wasn’t reading or writing at the same level as others my age and staying focused in class felt like a battle every single day.
I began to believe the worst about myself. I thought I was dumb. I thought I just wasn’t born “smart” like everyone else. I carried that belief quietly, letting it shape how I saw myself and what I thought I was capable of. I worked twice as hard just to feel average and even then, it never felt like enough.
In Grade 10, after years of struggling and trying to keep up, my parents and I decided to get me tested. I remember feeling nervous and unsure, scared of what the results might say about me.
“For the first time, there was an explanation for why school and life had always felt so difficult.”
When I was diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD, my emotions were overwhelming and confusing. I felt upset and discouraged, like the labels confirmed all the fears I already had about myself. At the same time, there was an unexpected sense of relief. For the first time, there was an explanation for why school and life had always felt so difficult.
Still, the diagnosis was hard to process. I learned that there was no “cure,” that this was simply part of who I am. That realization left me feeling lost and distressed. I worried about where I fit in and whether I ever truly belonged. I felt like an outcast, different in ways I didn’t fully understand yet.
What changed everything was the support around me. My parents comforted me and helped me see that this diagnosis didn’t stop me, instead it actually opened doors. They explained that I could finally get help from the school, tools designed to support the way I learn. I slowly began to understand that dyslexia and ADHD weren’t excuses for my grades or shortcomings; they were explanations that allowed me to access the help I had needed all along.
I was introduced to accommodations, extra academic support and assistive technology provided through the school and government resources. For the first time learning felt fair. With the right tools, I wasn’t struggling to survive in the classroom anymore, I was thriving. I felt equal to my peers, not because my challenges disappeared, but because I was finally being supported in a way that made sense to me.
“For the first time learning felt fair.”
Looking back, I’m struck by how unaware I was of the help that existed. For years, I struggled in silence, believing I had to push through on my own. Getting tested changed my entire perspective. It didn’t lower expectations; it gave me the opportunity to meet them. It gave me confidence, understanding and a sense of belonging I didn’t realize I was missing.
“Getting tested changed my entire perspective. It didn’t lower expectations; it gave me the opportunity to meet them.”
Today, I’m beyond grateful that I took that step. Being diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD didn’t hold me back; it empowered me. It taught me that intelligence doesn’t look the same for everyone, and that needing support doesn’t mean you’re weak.
If there’s one message, I hope others take from my story, it’s that you shouldn’t be afraid to get tested. Even if you’re scared of what the outcome might be, there are so many resources, tools and people willing to help.
You deserve to learn in a way that works for you and sometimes, understanding yourself is the first step toward finally feeling at home in your own abilities.
Makena is a first-year University student at St. Francis Xavier and is pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration.
